Diet Soda - Quit Cold Turkey or in Moderation

Those of you who quit diet soda, did you just straight up quit or do it slowly? This is my biggest struggle. I use to drink very little of it but after I became a Mom, kinda increased a wee bit too much.

TIA
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Replies

  • Bonny619
    Bonny619 Posts: 311 Member
    I quit cold turkey but I was always caffeine free so maybe it was easier for me to quit.
  • Hi,

    I quit the fizzy pop and only drink bottled water now (besides the rare cuppa).. I did it by just havin 2 cups of pop a day.. Then after a few weeks go down to 1 cup and then half a cup and so on.

    If you just stop it (cold turkey) you end up with headaches.

    Good Luck :)
  • ChangingAmanda
    ChangingAmanda Posts: 486 Member
    You need to do what works best for you. For me, essentially it was a cold turkey quit. I estimate I was drinking the equivalent of 6-8 sodas a day. The first 10 -14 days I primarily drank water but would have a soda if I was craving it and only after I'd been wanting it for over an hour and had at least 12 oz of water to drink. That pretty much cut it down to one soda a day the first few days and then one about every other day for the next week or so. After that I was fine. The last soda I had was on Thanksgiving day and it really wan't all that great. It tasted differently and the carbonation was almost painful. Ever since it's just been water throughout the day with milk or OJ in the morning smoothie.
  • TravisBikes
    TravisBikes Posts: 674 Member
    Just quit it and forget it.
  • kimimila86
    kimimila86 Posts: 399 Member
    I think that unless you have a cognitive addiction to soda (caffeine or sugar), quitting cold turkey is possible and probably the most effective way to go. Just my two cents :smile:
  • Rose_bee
    Rose_bee Posts: 226 Member
    Cold turkey, with help from Advil.
  • rydn4h2o
    rydn4h2o Posts: 255
    I quit cold turkey but switched to green tea for the caffeine. I can't tell you how much better I feel!
  • junejadesky
    junejadesky Posts: 524 Member
    Cold turkey... diet coke is sweetened with a CHEMICAL that is CREATED in a lab....(maybe that will help with motivation)
  • JingleMuffin
    JingleMuffin Posts: 543 Member
    Just quit it and forget it.

    this.
    you'll only get headaches for three days and thats just the caffiene leaving. Power through, its worth it.
  • TammyS3
    TammyS3 Posts: 28 Member
    I have 1 12oz. can per day. Other than that, I drink water.
  • spantz1
    spantz1 Posts: 17
    cold turkey
  • junejadesky
    junejadesky Posts: 524 Member
    Oh... and you can always try Zevia soda... you can find it at any health food co-op. It's sweetened with stevia which comes from a plant... so there is no sugar, no calories in this soda. Of course the nutritional value is low, but it helped me get off regular coke...
  • Sweet_Gurl_Next_Door
    Sweet_Gurl_Next_Door Posts: 735 Member
    just quit it and forget it.

    that is the best way
  • yowza101
    yowza101 Posts: 196 Member
    When I had my health coach last year, I was talking to her about soda. I drink regular soda. The additives in diet soda give me a headache or have an after taste. I knew that I wasn't going to give up soda. So she said drink a can instead of a bottle. I drink plenty of water anyway. She also said that since I know that I'm going to drink it, just add it to my calories and if I do a great cardio workout, I'm burning it off. So it's truly up to you. I just enjoy soda. I just moderate how much I drink. Unless it becomes a health situation and my doctor say to lay off of it, then I'm going to drink it. Lately I've been buying the 90 calories soda, they are mini cans, so far so good.
  • dark_angel1554
    dark_angel1554 Posts: 65 Member
    I drank regular coca-cola through my most of my school years, and some of my early 20's. I eventually decided to switch to diet-caffeine free Coke. I drank that for a few more years before I just cut soda out completely.

    My dentist was an excellent motivator for getting soda/pop out of my diet! :) lol
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Cold turkey here too. Then I switched to regular soda. Then started drinking tea and plain seltzer with a splash of orange juice instead. Now it's tea and water.
  • TexasTwinTwo
    TexasTwinTwo Posts: 12 Member
    I quit drinking diet coke cold turkey, January 1, 2013 (my new years resolution) I was drinking 2 - 3 cans a day for years and years and it was hard at first, but I did it.

    Good luck! :smile:
    S~
  • I quit cold turkey. I now drink several bottles of water a day. Along with my morning coffee (black). So the caffeine wasn't an issue for me. However, if I am craving one, I will allow myself to have one. Everything in moderation. I cannot deprive myself of anything or else I will give up and go crazy one day and eat or drink everything in sight!
    With that being said, I can't remember the last time I had a soda. It seems that the healthier I get, the less I crave the junk.
  • olDave
    olDave Posts: 557 Member
    Here's a question for your question.....

    Why do you want to stop drinking diet soda?
  • ruwise
    ruwise Posts: 265 Member
    I quit cold turkey but I did try it a couple of weeks ago again and you know what if you don't have it for 4-5 weeks when you taste it again you won't want it anyway.
  • TravisBikes
    TravisBikes Posts: 674 Member
    The first year I gave it up (for NY resolution), once I started drinking it the next year could not stand the taste of diet soda again. just tasted chemically and nasty. Last year I still had an occasional mountain dew or coke, but even those took a while before i re-acquainted the taste (non-diet).

    This year I gave it up again since it wasn't doing anything for me, except taking my money. More water please.
  • laurengaugler
    laurengaugler Posts: 45 Member
    Quit cold turkey. The first few days are impossibly difficult, but after about 5 days you don't crave it anymore and after a few weeks you never even think about it.
  • TanyaGirl76
    TanyaGirl76 Posts: 113 Member
    Good for you letting it go! It's so bad for you. NICE JOB!!
  • sgh4ra
    sgh4ra Posts: 5 Member
    I quite cold turkey. Had always LOVED diet coke since college. It wasn't as hard as I'd imagined it would be, especially once I read how bad it was for my health (I have diabetes risk factors and my mom developed diabetes at about my current age) and that it was counterproductive for dieters. Good luck!!!
  • LokiOfAsgard
    LokiOfAsgard Posts: 378 Member
    I honestly don't know if it was in moderation or cold turkey.
    I just drank more water.
    And I wasn't thirsty.

    Not being thirsty made me not want pop.

    :D
  • cold turkey and it was really shocking that i don't miss it all i drink is water and green, lemon or mint tea..
  • knk1553
    knk1553 Posts: 438 Member
    Why quit? I've lost bodyfat and weight without quitting drinking it at all, I still have 1-2 diet pepsi's a day. No reason to give up something you enjoy.
  • bren711
    bren711 Posts: 6
    read "skinny *****" they mention that soda is liquid devil...useless beverage..it robs your bones of calcium and has fermeldryhyde (sp) in it... once you read that book you will never drink soda again lol
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    I quit a month ago, cold turkey. I was drinking easily 6+ cans of Diet Mtn Dew per day.

    Now I drink tons of water, with some black coffee and unsweetened iced tea from time to time. Sometimes I go 4 or 5 days without any caffeine.

    I'm may not stay off it forever, but I know my consumption will be 95% lower than it was.
  • Quit cold turkey. :)